One of my new year’s resolutions is to refocus on Scripture memory. In the past I made verse cards which can take a bit of time to do. I recently found a website that makes verse cards for you. All you do is put the references in, choose your preferences, click the button, and print your cards. Check it out at http://www.mcscott.org/index.html
Tag: Bible
Quotes To Ponder
A few quotes related to the Scriptures:
Let the man who would hear God speak read Holy Scripture.
– Martin Luther
Reading the Bible is not an obligation to be endured
but a dialogue to be savored and enjoyed.
– T.J. Addington
Bible memorization has the effect of making
our gaze on Jesus steadier and clearer.
– John Piper
Passion Points
There are a lot of good posts out there this week, but let me just share four of them – all related to thinking:
First, Stephen Nichols gives us some helpful questions to ask as we read the Bible to help us think about the passage. I love the focus on God evident in the questions.
Second, Nichols shares suggestions for those who need to start reading (and thinking) their way through the Bible.
Third, Tim Challies reminds us of the importance of clearly and biblically thinking through the creation/evolution question. I think I will need to look into the book he discusses.
Finally, Randy Alcorn asks whether the word “evangelical” means anything anymore. Going beyond mere labels, he calls us to think about the clear teachings of Scripture that many who call themselves evangelical are dismissing.
I hope you enjoy thinking through the posts above. Even more, I hope you have a great Lord’s Day thinking about the words you sing and the preached Word you hear.
Fill Your Head With Scripture
Many of the last sayings of Jesus on the cross come straight from Scripture, which leads James Montgomery Boice to write:
This means that Jesus was filling his mind and strengthening his spirit not by trying to keep a stiff upper lip or look for a silver lining, as we might say, but by an act of deliberately remembering and consciously clinging to the great prophecies and promises of God. If Jesus did that, don’t you think you should do it too? And not only when you come to die.
You need to fill your head with Scripture and think of your life in terms of the promises of Scripture now. If you do not do it now, how will you ever find strength to do it when you come to die? You must live by Scripture, committing your spirit into the hands of God day by day if you are to yield your spirit into God’s loving hands trustingly at the last.
For further thoughts on filling your head with Scripture, I encourage you to look at this article about memorizing Scripture. John Wilson interacts with Joshua Choonmin Kang’s book, Scripture By Heart. It is a book on my reading list, and Wilson shares one challenge from the book – spend 15 minutes a day memorizing Scripture. How might our thoughts and indeed our entire lives change if we did this? Perhaps we could live and die like Jesus….
Creation, Fall, Redemption
Last week my family went to Kentucky on vacation. I planned to blog, but then didn’t find the time. Oh well. Anyway, as I thought about our vacation, it seemed to me that it reflected the Biblical paradigm of Creation, Fall, and Redemption.
Creation
In the beginning, God created this world. I was reminded of this as we started our vacation at the Creation Museum. The theme continued as we enjoyed various parts of God’s creation – Mammoth Cave, Cumberland Falls, Cumberland Gap, and numerous rock formations around Red River Gorge. God made a beautiful creation that reflects his own greater beauty.
Fall
Adam and Eve sinned against God plunging our world into sin, violence, suffering, and death. I was reminded of this at the Creation Museum, and then as we toured a Civil War museum. I was reminded of the Fall as I watched the news during breakfast each morning at the various hotels – whether it was stories about fighting in Libya, or a recent murder, or the perverted shows of popular pop singers. We have truly made a wreck of our world.
Redemption
Christ came to redeem our fallen world and save a fallen people. I was reminded of this too as we toured the Creation Museum, and as we listen to the Gospel of Mark on our way home. God has not left us to perish, but came to save us. This is good news indeed!
Creation, Fall, Redemption. This is the Biblical story. And I saw various shades of it last week as we wandered around Kentucky. In some following posts, I want to illustrate various Scriptures related to these themes using more pictures from our vacation.
KJV 400th Anniversary
The King James Version of the Bible turns 400 this year. It has had a huge impact on the English language and the English world. It has also had a large impact on many newer English translations including the New King James Version, the New American Standard Bible, and the English Standard Version. Want to learn more? You can sign up to receive a free copy of Christian History magazine’s upcoming issue on the KJV. I’m looking forward to reading it. Deadline to reserve your free copy is February 14.
Passions Points
It has been a busy week with little time to write or reflect on anything to write. But here at the end of the week are some good posts from others for you to consider:
Mark Altrogge reminds us that Christian growth takes time. Growth isn’t instant, yet it is simple. We can get caught up in so many details and disciplines, but in the end, Stephen Altrogge reminds us it comes down to one thing. Certainly one discipline that can help us do that one thing (you really need to follow the link to find out what it is), is to be in the Bible. Ray Pennoyer gives us a fresh challenge from a recent movie and a one of my heroes of the faith to be in God’s Word. Don’t let the habits of the “hero” cast you down – most of us don’t have the time he had to devote to such things, but do let his example challenge you to hunger more for the Word.
Meanwhile, over at Crossway we get some excerpt’s of C. J. Mahaney’s new book Don’t Waste Your Sports, addressing the important issues of humility and the temptation to play for our glory rather than God’s. While focused on the athlete, the principles can be applied to all of life.
That is probably enough for this week. Have a blessed Lord’s Day as you gather with God’s people to worship our great God!
Listen
During the Transfiguration recorded in Luke 9:28-36, a cloud overshadows them, and a voice says, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” The Father commands the disciples to listen to Jesus. We too must listen to Jesus, but how? He does not walk among us as he did then, so how do we listen to him?
Some might suggest that the words that he spoke while he was here that are recorded in Scripture – the words in red – are his words that we must listen to, but that does not go far enough. We know that the apostles and prophets wrote the entire Bible as they were led by the Holy Spirit (II Peter 1:20-21). We also know that the Spirit speaks the words of Jesus (John 16:13-14). That means that the entire Bible is the words of Jesus. When we open the Bible and read, Jesus speaks to us. We must listen.
We must stop and listen. Peter wakes up to find Jesus talking to Moses and Elijah, and he bgins to chatter on about building three tents. But is this a time to talk? Would you interrupt Jesus, Moses, and Elijah? Wouldn’t you want to hear their conversation? This is a time to stop all other thoughts, words, and actions, and just listen.
As we gather on Sunday mornings to open the Book which contains the very words of our glorious Savior, this is not a time to get up and wander about, to daydream, to think about lunch or afternoon plans. This a time to stop and listen.
As we wake up each morning to open the Book to read the very words of Jesus, we must stop all distractions, stop thinking about our plans for the day, and just listen to Jesus Himself speak to us. Stop and listen.
But we must not just stop and listen, we must also listen and respond. We cannot listen to Jesus like we often listen to a news announcer – in one ear and out the other as they say. When God speaks, we must respond. The Parable of the Sower in the prior chapter reminds us that we must not just hear the Word, but must respond (8:4-15). Jesus tells us his family are those who “hear the Word of God and do it” (8:21). We must not just hear the Word; we must do what it says (James 1:22).
So as we gather on Sunday morning to open the Book, do we come planning to not only hear but also respond? As we open the Book each morning, do we intend to respond? Do we intend to obey that command, or claim that promise, or believe that truth, or confess that sin, or follow that example? Do we plan to listen and respond?
Father, you have given us a great gift – the very words of Jesus. As we open the Book, help us to remember that we are reading the very words of God. Help us to stop. Help us to listen. Help us to respond. For your glory, we pray. Amen.
Web Weekly
Last week was a very good and busy week of VBS at our church, so I wasn’t able to blog much. Let’s start this week with a few recommended posts to visit from around the web related to Three Passion living.
First, we start with God’s passion for us. Justin Taylor explores how Paul describes God’s grace throughout the book of Ephesians. His question at the end of his post is important for us to consider: “Do we feel, with Paul, how truly great God’s grace is?”
People are obsessed about all kinds of things in our world, but our passion should only be found in one place as Mark Altrogge reminds us.
If we are going to grow in our passion for God and compassion for people, we need to be in God’s Word. James MacDonald reminds us of some of the Bible’s vivid pictures of itself – and what they mean for us.
Examples of Grace 12
I Samuel continues the theme of grace.
Hannah prays for a son. God graciously gives her one. How many times have we prayed, and God has granted our request? We are unworthy, we constantly fail the Lord, yet he answers our prayers. This is grace.
Throughout the book, we see God’s gracious deliverance. The Lord delivers Israel from the Philistines. The Lord delivers David from Saul. How many times has God delivered us – from sickness, from trials, from danger? This is grace.
Nabal offends David. David prepares to take vengeance. But God uses Abigail to stop him. He was about to sin, but God kept him from it. How many times has God kept us from sinning? Keeping a temptation from us. Removing a temptation. Giving us strength to overcome. This too is grace.
Let us glory in the wonderful grace of God!
